Meet the team
We believe that our employees are our greatest asset. Read on to learn more about the talented people who work for us.
Every single person who works for Caroola Group is committed to delivering second-to-none Umbrella employment and contractor accounting services to the agile workforce. With multiple years of experience in our specialist fields, all of our customers can rest assured that their tax, accounting and payroll needs are handled with compliance, security and trust at the forefront.
Our Exec Team
Andy Ross
Chief Executive Officer
"My role involves working closely with the Board, and the Exec Team, to make sure we've got a business strategy that allows us to become a market leader in our chosen fields of Accountancy and Umbrella.
Outside of work, I spend a lot of time with my family. My real passions are cars & guitars, and I spend a lot of time listening to and watching progressive heavy metal."
Jonathan James
Chief Information Officer
"I'm responsible for all things technology and transformation. I've been in technology now for 30 years, the last three of them happily here at Caroola Group.
Away from work, I have a hobby farm. We keep sheep, pigs and chickens, which keeps us busy. And when I'm not working on the farm, I like to open-water swim."
Steve Wortley
Chief Operating Officer
"My role here is to make sure we face our chosen market with solutions and services that our customers want, through Parasol and Caroola Accountancy.
I live with my family down in Stratford-upon-Avon. Outside of work I like to 'attempt' to play golf, I enjoy sailing, and at times I can be seen buzzing up above the clouds as I'm a fully qualified helicopter pilot. "
Mark Lockley
Chief Financial Officer
"My role is to align and embed the Finance Team across all areas of the business, so that we can drive profitable growth. My ambition for this business is to grow the best payroll, accountancy and tax business on the market.
I live rurally in Shropshire. I like the 'country lifestyle'. I'm now a keen spectator of most sports after having a successful rugby career... and that's the proper rugby union."
Our Senior Leadership Team
Ashley Olliver
Group Sales Director
Paul Goodwin
Director of Service (Accountancy)
Dawn Hibbert
Director of Service (Umbrella)
Mike Norton
Director of IT
Chris Bloor
Director of Compliance
Helen Pedder
Director of HR
Siva Palan
Head of Finance
Allison Hill
Head of Marketing
Chris Shepherd
Head of Digital
Below you will find a snapshot
of each of our teams, and what they do.
Our People Team
Our People Team have a wide range of responsibilities which are associated with managing all aspects of the lifecycle of employees, ultimately creating a culture whereby employees feel a strong sense of belonging and have opportunities to develop and grow within Caroola.
The team consists of three specialist areas:
Our HR team focuses on many different areas, including reward and benefits, corporate payroll, employee engagement, internal communications, legal and employee relations.
Our Learning and Development team are responsible for all the training needs across the business, whether that be technical or behavioural training. They are also responsible for delivering our professional qualifications scheme and our various apprenticeship programs.
Our Talent Acquisition team take the lead on recruiting all roles across the business, from sourcing candidates through to interviewing and onboarding them.
Our Finance Team
Our Finance and Management Accounting team play a crucial role in helping the business make competitive decisions. They collect, process, and communicate information to aid management in planning, controlling, and evaluating business processes and strategies. The department produces finance reports, VAT reports, audit packs, and handles finance-related queries efficiently. Additionally, management accounting directs and measures performance using financial and non-financial indicators, overseeing accounts payable, business partnering, and collaboration with key business functions.
Our Marketing & Digital Team
Our Marketing & Digital team are the driving force behind our market-leading brands. We develop tactics and strategies to promote our services, enhance our reputation and earn trust from potential and existing customers.
We welcome a broad range of skills within the team that cover SEO, PPC, Content, Email Communication, Analytics, Social Media, Partnerships and Design. Our goal is to ensure a strong online presence, seamless communication, and strategic collaborations. Working in collaboration with our sales and operational teams, we use our passion, creativity and attention to detail to attract, grow and retain our customer base.
Our Sales Team
Our Sales team provide our agency partners with a credible partnership that fully supports the agile workforce. The team is made up of sales professionals with extensive industry know-how and expertise. Whether our clients need to speak to our Agency Sales team or the operational experts in our Agency Support Team, we’re on hand to ensure they receive the premium level of service you’d expect from Caroola/Parasol.
Our IT Team
Our IT Team has a proactive approach to problem solving and a passion for staying at the forefront of technological advancements. Whether it's optimising our infrastructure for efficiency, developing custom software solutions to enhance productivity, or safeguarding our data with state-of-the-art cybersecurity measures, our team is dedicated to empowering the business with cutting-edge technology.
Whether you are looking to develop skills in cloud infrastructure, computer networking, software development, AI modelling or information security, we can help you on your journey into technology.
Accountancy Operations
Our accountancy teams offer accountancy, tax and payroll solutions for the nation's freelancers, sole traders, and small businesses. With over three decades of experience, we help thousands of limited companies make the numbers work. We have created a modern, friendly and welcoming environment that delivers and develops technical mastery across key Accountancy skills.
Umbrella Operations
Our experienced Operational teams provide a friendly, professional and excellent service to our contractors and our partner agencies.
Parasol makes getting paid easy for the agile workforce. Our fully compliant employment model provides contractors with peace of mind as we speedily make salary payments, manage taxes and deductions, and deliver statutory benefits.
